Opening weekend of big game season means a lot of trucks are in the woods and not at the boat ramps. If you’re not hunting, this is a great weekend to hit the water with less competition. Streamer fishing remains hot on the Yellowstone and Madison, especially during overcast stretches. Browns are in full pre-spawn mode, so they’re chasing hard.
Walleye at Fort Peck and Canyon Ferry are hanging deep, and trolling crankbaits or slow-rolling crawler rigs continues to be the play. Smallmouth are slowing down, but warm afternoons are still producing fish on rocky points.
Some alpine lakes are starting to ice up, but lower-elevation stillwaters remain productive for trout. It’s classic late-October fishing: cool air, active fish, and quieter rivers.
